Hundreds charged in operations

Premier’s letter details actions

THE staggering number of people charged over car thefts and property crime in Toowoomba has been revealed as police continue to focus on law breakers in the region.

In a letter of response to organisers of the new Toowoomba Crime Solutions and Suggestions group on social media, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk’s office has detailed the successes of several police operations which have been executed across the Darling Downs.

Among those campaigns has been the focus by the Property Crime Unit which targeted unlawful use of motor vehicle offences.

In six months, 383 offenders were charged with a combined 1650 offences, the majority of which related to property crime, the letter stated.

Other operations targeting drugs - both supply and trafficking offences - have also yielded strong results including Operation Quebec Trawler by the Darling Downs Tactical Crime Squad.

That operation, which was a partnership with TCS and all policing divisions remains ongoing but has netted 353 people on a combined 967 offences.

Operation Papa Lead, which has focused on property offenders, as well as bail and curfew compliance for both adult and juvenile offenders, has seen officers attend 1018 addresses, complete 900 bail checks and charged 232 people with 612 offences.

The Toowoomba Youth Justice team has seen 182 people dealt with on 784 charges across the Darling Downs district in the past six months.

“Providing a safe environment for people to live and work in our community is a key focus of the Queensland Government,” Ms Palaszczuk’s deputy chief of staff Denise Spinks wrote to the Facebook group’s founder Corby Orford.

“While police work with social services and the community to address the causes of crime, people who offend can expect to be met with the full force of the law.”